Joao Pedro: Chelsea Forward on His Role and Becoming the All-Round Frontman Enzo Needed
Joao Pedro’s journey from Ribeirao Preto in Sao Paulo to southwest London has been anything but ordinary. Now firmly settled at Chelsea, the 23-year-old is embracing his role at Stamford Bridge with determination and discipline. Pedro cut his summer break short to join Chelsea during the FIFA Club World Cup campaign — a decision that paid off, as he became a key contributor in their title-winning run. Since then, he has hit the ground running, recording two goals and three assists in four Premier League starts, making him Chelsea’s most productive player so far this season. “I try to work with the guys in the physio [department] here a lot to be able to give 100 per cent to every game,” Pedro told Sky Sports. He revealed he’s also been doing extra recovery sessions with a private physio away from the club to stay match-fit. “In the days when we train in the morning, always in the afternoon I try to do something to recover faster. Or, if I feel a little bit of pain in one area, I try to be fit as soon as possible for the next game.” His commitment comes at a crucial time for Chelsea. Nicolas Jackson’s move to Bayern Munich and Liam Delap’s injury — which is set to keep him out until December — have put even more responsibility on Pedro’s shoulders. “I need to try to be fit because now I think I’m going to play more and more games, get more minutes, but the club helped me a lot to be on the pitch for every match,” he said. Pedro’s versatility has also become a major asset under new manager Enzo Maresca. The Brazilian has been deployed across the front four, his adaptability rooted in his early days at Fluminense, where he began as a defensive midfielder before moving up the pitch. “I played as a midfielder when I was in the academy but I was number 10, so one day the coach asked me if I could do this position [defensive midfield] and I started to train there sometimes,” he explained. “When you play in the middle you need to check over your shoulders more and be more technical. I think this has helped me a lot.” Pedro’s path through English football began in 2020 when he joined Watford. After two-and-a-half seasons, he was signed by Brighton, where he enjoyed a breakout year under Roberto De Zerbi. In the 2023/24 season, he registered 20 goals and nine assists in 40 appearances — his best return yet. “De Zerbi pushed me every day. He said things like I could be a top striker in the world. From that I started to believe in that. I started to believe if I work hard every day, I could be a top striker.” Now working under another Italian coach, Pedro sees both similarities and differences between De Zerbi and Maresca. “I think both have a passion, they love football, they are very smart, but De Zerbi is more aggressive — not in a bad way,” Pedro said. “The way both think, it is very easy to understand what they want, but I think Enzo knows how to manage sometimes between the players. Enzo is more composed. But both managers are really offensive. They like to play with the ball and want to have the ball the whole game — so it’s very good for me.” Pedro credits De Zerbi for shifting his mentality. “When I was at Watford I was a little bit comfortable with my position. When I moved to Brighton, he pushed me every day. That helped me grow.” As Chelsea prepare for their big clash with Manchester United this weekend, Pedro leads the Premier League in goal involvements and is quickly emerging as a central figure in Maresca’s attacking plans. In a club that has struggled to solve its No. 9 conundrum for years, Joao Pedro might just be the answer — and more. Manchester United vs ChelseaSaturday 20th SeptemberKick-off: 5:30 PM
